Cost of Living Comparison Between Acharnes and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Acharnes and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,307 in Acharnes versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,988 in Acharnes versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,670 in Acharnes versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Acharnes is roughly 3% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Acharnes 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.12 €11.30
$11.87 MX$204
10.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6 €49.63
$42.90 MX$736
34.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.20 €7.92
$10.65 MX$183
-13.62%
Cappuccino
$4.14 €3.57
$3.45 MX$59.2
20.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 €1.41
$1.50 MX$25.81
8.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.48
$0.95 MX$16.28
-41.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.12
$3.03 MX$51.9
96.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.77 €4.97
$4.61 MX$79.1
25.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 €1.26
$1.38 MX$23.61
5.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 €1.40
$1.85 MX$31.70
-12.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 €1.90
$1.61 MX$27.65
36.65%
Eggs
$4.18 €3.60
$2.59 MX$44.51
61.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.78 €11.87
$8.26 MX$142
66.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.81 €8.45
$8.37 MX$144
17.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.93 €11.14
$10.66 MX$183
21.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 €1.96
$2.63 MX$45.12
-13.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 €1.63
$1.49 MX$25.53
26.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 €0.93
$1.92 MX$32.94
-43.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.95 €1.68
$2.09 MX$35.81
-6.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.12 €0.97
$1.86 MX$31.88
-39.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 €1.09
$2.26 MX$38.81
-43.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 €0.86
$1.06 MX$18.23
-6.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 €0.39
$1.09 MX$18.67
-57.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.70 €4.05
$4.15 MX$71.2
13.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 €5.46
$10.39 MX$178
-38.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 €1.45
$1.72 MX$29.59
-2.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 €2.10
$2.61 MX$44.85
-6.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.58 €1.36
$0.54 MX$9.30
192.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.49 €39.20
$26.94 MX$462
68.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.25 €6.24
$3.13 MX$53.7
131.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.92
$2.51 MX$43.09
-57.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.76 €11.86
$3.15 MX$54.1
336.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.09 €1.80
$1.27 MX$21.88
64.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €29.5K
$30.4K MX$521.3K
12.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K €25.5K
$23.6K MX$404.5K
25.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 €123
$83.0 MX$1,425
72.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.85 €12.79
$22.71 MX$390
-34.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.61 €27.23
$29.46 MX$506
7.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.91 €41.28
$51.0 MX$875
-6.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.70 €23.01
$18.33 MX$315
45.66%
Cinema Ticket
$9.62 €8.29
$4.93 MX$84.5
95.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$516 €444
$197 MX$3,386
161.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,655 €4,872
$5,280 MX$90.6K
7.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.84 €19.68
$36.90 MX$633
-38.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.75 €33.39
$39.89 MX$685
-2.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.5 €60.7
$80.0 MX$1,373
-11.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.5 €81.4
$89.5 MX$1,536
5.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 €420
$956 MX$16.4K
-49.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 €330
$477 MX$8,189
-19.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$778 €670
$1,646 MX$28.3K
-52.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 €541
$1,225 MX$21.0K
-48.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,721 €2,345
$3,918 MX$67.2K
-30.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,150 €1,853
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-66.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Acharnes
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,012 €872
$667 MX$11.4K
51.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.34
11.42
-62.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Acharnes: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Acharnes and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Acharnes pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Acharnes vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $264 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Acharnes vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Acharnes?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Acharnes or Playa del Carmen?
Acharnes pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Acharnes and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Acharnes versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Acharnes and Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Acharnes. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Acharnes or Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $58.0 in Acharnes. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Acharnes or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,307 in Acharnes, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Acharnes. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Acharnes or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Acharnes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Acharnes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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